Follower-block for filing-cabinets.



J. A. FRASER.

FOLLOWEB BLOCK FOR FILING CABINETS.

APPLICATION FILED we. a, 1909.

VIIIIIIIIIIIIvllAqlIIAvIl/IIIIIIIA mus mamas;

Patented May 13, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. FRASER, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO METAL SEGTIONAL FURNITURE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION.

FOLLOWER-BLOCK FOR FILING-CABINETS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1913.

Application filed August 6, 1909. Serial No. 511,480.

ings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my follower block; Fig. 2,

represents a front elevation of the same-and Fig. 3 represents a sectional side elevation of my block, taken on a vertical line through the intle 0 as shown in Fig. 1. v

ore particularly described, A represents the drawer of my cabinet. a represents a rib or track formed along the top edge of the sides of my drawer A.

B re resents my follower block and consists o a sheet of heavy metal or other like material, bent to form an apron b and the top 6' of the locking device of my block. At the op osite ends of the top 6' I provide flanged s oes D D which are ada ted to engage the ribs a a of the drawer The shoes D D are provided with inner extensions d (Z which are formed into housings as shown at Figs. 2 and 3 and utilized as guides and supports for the locking mechanism as herelnafter described. The said housin d d are permanently secured to the undzr face of the top I) by any suitable means such as welding, soldering or riveting. Upon the under side of the to b I provide laterally movable slides C held in position at their inner ends by thumb pieces C G extending through suitable apertures in the top 6' and being formed at such inner ends slightly larger than the said apertures as shown at Fig. 1, the outer ends of the said slides being held in position by the housings d d as shown at Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. Near the outer ends of the said slides C C, I form recesses designed to receive one end of the bell crank levers c 0. These levers c 0 are rotatably secured in the housings cl (Z by the intl'e 0 One end of the said lever 1s fitted with a surface 0' of circular outline and designed to engage the recessed slides C C as before named and the other end 0 is fitted with a roughened cam face 0 adapted to engage the sides of the drawer A. A spring a is attached to each of the housings d d and is adapted to engage the bell crank levers c a and hold them normally in contact with the sides of the drawer A, whereby the said drawer A is held impmged between the shoe D and the lover a. The action of the operator in pressing together the inner ends C C of the slides C C serves to draw the bell crank levers 'o 0 out of contact with the sides of the said drawer A thereby ermitting the sliding of the block within t e drawer.

My invention may be modified in the construction of the housings 0! cl and top I) in that tubes or channel forming plates may be utilized to house the looking parts.

What I claim is my invention 1s:

1. In a cabinet file, the combination with a filing drawer and ribs fitted. to the up or edge of the sides of said drawer, of a ollower comprising an apron lying between the sides of said drawer, flanged shoes embracing the said ribs and being rigidly attached to said apron, housin s formed of integral extensions of said anged shoes, slides engaging said housings and having lateral movement therein, bell crank leversrotatably attached to said housings and engaging one end with said slides and other end with the sides of said drawer, springs attached to said housings and engagin said bell crank levers whereby the sides 0 said drawer are normally held impinged between said flanged shoes and said bell crank levers.

2. In a cabinet file, the combination with a filing drawer and ribs fitted to the upper edge of the sides of said drawer, of a follower comprising an apron lying within the said drawer and extending from side to side, flanged shoes embracing said ribs and having plermanent rigid attachment to said apron, ousings formed of extensions to said flanged shoes, slides engaging said housings and having lateral movement therein, the outer ends of said slides being provided with recesses, bell crank levers rotatably attached to said housings one end of each of said levers being formed with a circular outline of same contour as a portion of the said recesses and designed to engage the said recesses in said slides the other end of each of said bell crank levers being fitted with a roughened cam face and adapted to engage the sides of said drawer, thumb pieces attached to the inner ends of said slides and extending throu h elongated slots in said a ron, whereby t c said slides may be move laterally within said housings, substantially as descrlbed.

3. In a cabinet file, the combination with a filing drawer and ribs fitted to the upper edge of 'the sides of said drawer, of a follower comprising an apron, flanged shoes rigidly attached to the ends of said apron and havingv engagement with said ribs, housings formed from extensions of said flanged shoes and integral therewith, laterally 'movable slides engaging said housings and fitted near their'outer ends with.

recesses, bell crank levers rotatably attached to the said housings, one arm of each of which levers is formed at its end with a circular outline of the same contour as a portion of the said recesses in said slides and having rotating engagement with sald slides, the other arm 0 each of said bell crank levers being fitted on the end with a roughened cam face adapted to engage the sides of said drawer, thumb pieces on the inner end of said slides and adapted to extend through elongated slots in said apron, springs attached to said housings and adapted to engage said bell crank levers whereby the said sides of said drawer are held normally im inged between said flanged shoes and sald bell crank levers, substantially as described and for the purposes 

